Go BottomShould I Buy A Tractor
 | snmhanson
Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 27 White Salmon, WA 
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2004-03-16 80033
I posted a message earlier about which tractor I should get and have narrowed it down to a B7510. Now, however, after talking it over with the boss (she's on the fence) the question is should we buy a tractor or rent or hire? This is pretty similar to the post "do I need a tractor?" but a little different in that I'm only 31 and don't really have the aches and pains yet and my needs are a little different as well.
We've got a fairly flat five acres, two of which we want to landscape with grass and other miscellaneous features. We will probably hire someone with a big machine to till the entire area initially and get the large rocks removed. We will handle the filling, leveling, sprinkler system, etc... and then have it hydro-seeded. Once the landscaping is done we will need something to mow the lawn, maintain three acres of treed land, occassionally grade our drive (pea gravel), remove snow from our drive a handfull of times per year and maybe some odd jobs around the house. I will probably find other landscaping jobs around the house to do in the future but can't think of any off hand. I want to justify buying a tractor but there is a place we can rent an older 18hp Deere with a bucket only about three miles from our house for about $150 a day or $500 a week plus implements. Or we could hire all of the heavy chores out and maybe not need a tractor at all? If we didn't get a CUT we would still need to spend a few thousand on a decent lawn/garden tractor for mowing the lawn but the difference could go towards a new dirt bike and four wheeler or (if my wife had her way) a new hot tub and barbeque. I really want a tractor but I guess I do need to justify spending 15 large on one. SO, keeping all of my needs in mind, plus resale value, plus any uses that I may have in the future for a tractor that I'm not aware of yet, what do you guys think? Should we go for it or take an alternate route? Thanks for any help, this site had been invaluable so far in my decision making process.
Matt
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 | BillMullens
Join Date: Jun 2000 Posts: 649 Central West Virginia 
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2004-03-16 80039
I sold my "play" car, street bike and jet ski to justify to myself buying my TC29. I don't regret it for an instant. And, it is paid off now, and a considerable financial asset. They just don't depreciate much.
You can always save some money by buying used. Half of the fun is in the hunt.
Good luck,
Bill ....
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 | drcjv.
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 334 southeastern pa
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2004-03-16 80044
You may not see long term uses for your tractor now, but once you get it they will very much come to light. If you truly enjoy doing these tasks yourself buy the tractor. Through the spring, fall and summer I use mine almost everyday. I have had or have all the toys you could want, many are just a wast of money after you lose interest. If you lose interest in your CUT at least it will hold its value. The two best things I ever bought are my TC33D and a dump trailer. Now I am looking for a backhoe for the tractor. With the size property you have the tractor seems like a good buy if you can afford it. Ask everyone on the board that has 4 wheelers, dirtbikes or hottubs and see which they would rather have instead of their CUT. ....
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 | beagle
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1333 Michigan 
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2004-03-16 80052
Hey, this is a tractor site. There is only one answer here. Buy a tractor. If my wife sees your post, I am in for a rough time of it. She now assumes everyone needs(wants) a tractor.
Seriuosly, I learned an expensive lesson trying to get by without one. I bought a Garden tractor first, and a darned nice one, but lost a bunch of $'s trying to do what I needed with it. With the money you will put out in the long run renting and hiring, along with the resale value of a good CUT, it isn't hard to justify. The nice part about not renting is not having that "return time" deadline hanging over your head while you are working. It makes the work a lot more enjoyable. ....
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 | grinder
Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 677 central Maine
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2004-03-16 80054
I think Art hit the nail on the head with his comment of increased property value.
As a rule of thumb landscaping will add 15-20% to your property value. The biggest appreciating asset most of us will buy. ....
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 | kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon 
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2004-03-16 80055
Depreciation on the major manufacturers CUT products seems to run about 8-10% the first year and maybe 5-6% a year thereafter. If you spend $20k on a tractor you will be out maybe $2k the first year and maybe $1k/year thereafter.
To hire it out will cost you (I'm guessing here) $100/hour minimum? So if you hire out the work you will get 20 hours of work done for the price of depreciation and you won't have any fun.
If you rent a tractor at $500/week you could rent for four weeks the first year and break even. But wait - you also need to rent the implements, and they may not have what you need. And you also have to either buy a truck and trailer capable of hauling the equipment (very expensive) or pay them extra to deliver and pick up the equipment, so you'll get maybe 2-3 weeks worth of rental use for one year of depreciation on a new one.
I'd buy. If $20k is too much you can shop for something smaller new in the $10-15k range or go used. ....
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| grinder
Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 677 central Maine
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2004-03-16 80060
Kwschumm
All good points, If I may add one from exp. Renting is fine
but there are some considerations. You have to do it on their time table as opposed to yours. The weather does not always cooperate, after you have given up your weekend or week off. Or it breaks from everyone beating the hell out of it. Then you get to argue with the rentee that you didn't get to use it.
It is nice to have in the shed when you have a few hours to play(I mean work.) ....
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| golfpro222
Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 17 NY
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2004-03-17 80202
I was in the same situation as you this winter except I knew I needed(wanted) a tractor. I have a new house on 4 acres with all the landscaping yet to do, snow removal, some wood work, etc. To hire out landscaping costs a fortune and with my figures I think the savings will pay for over half my tractor. I also enjoy doing projects around the house and with the tractor it is fun( not work)
My big decision was how large a machine to get. I narrowed it down to a 7800, 7610 or BX23. I ended up getting a BX23 as I decided I really needed a backhoe more than I needed a bigger machine and a bigger machine with a backhoe was too much $. It was the right decision as it does all I need and more. That was the view of the majority on this board and they were correct.
Hope this is helpful.
Golfpro222
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2004-03-18 80248
I think the question of do you want a tractor is as important as do you need one. Most individual's needs go beyond notions of economic justification. I think that CUT's are seldom needed by homeowners, and even fewer are economically justified. Besides, how would an economic justification be calculated? An economist would start applying 'imponderables and heuristics' and then you'd be right back to the question of 'you want one?'
I drove my wife wild with months of economics before I got mine. She finally said 'You want one, the money's there if we don't do other things so we should just get one.' I think a CUT is best thought of as a choice a family makes about how things will get done. It's a good thing if the work gets done and a tractor fits into the rest of life gracefully. ....
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